Wolfgang Lippert (pilot)

Wolfgang Lippert (14 September 1914 – 3 December 1941) was a World War II Luftwaffe Flying ace. Lippert was credited with 30 victories, five of which were scored in the Spanish Civil War.

Luftwaffe career

Lippert joined the Luftwaffe and after pilot training, was posted to I./Jagdgeschwader 134 "Horst Wessel". In March 1937 Leutnant Lippert was transferred to I./Jagdgeschwader 53 at Wiesbaden. Lippert gained his first aerial victories during the Spanish Civil War flying with the Condor Legion with 3. Staffel of Jagdgruppe 88. He claimed five victories from mid-1938 until March 1939, receiving the award of the Spanish Cross in Gold with Swords (Spanienkreuz in Gold mit Schwerten).

He claimed his first victory of World War II on 30 September 1939, a French Morane-Saulnier M.S.406 over Wissembourg. During the Battle of France he destroyed eight Allied aircraft. Hauptmann Lippert was appointed Gruppenkommandeur of II./Jagdgeschwader 27 (JG 27—27th Fighter Wing) on 4 September 1940. During the Battle of Britain, a further seven kills were claimed, including Royal Air Force ace S/L Archie McKellar flying a No. 605 Squadron Hurricane Mk 1, shot down on 1 November 1940. He was awarded the Ritterkreuz des Eisernen Kreuzes on 24 September after 13 World War II victories.

In 1941 Lippert participated with II./JG 27 in Operation Barbarossa, scoring four victories against Soviet aircraft. Later that year the unit was transferred to North Africa where he destroyed a further five Allied aircraft.

Death

On 23 November 1941 Lippert was shot down over Allied lines by ace Clive Caldwell of No. 250 Squadron. As Lippert bailed out of his Bf 109, Werk-Nr. 8469, he hit the tailplane. He was hospitalised and his legs were amputated. However his legs were infected by gangrene and he died 10 days later.

Wolfgang Lippert was credited with a total of 30 victories, including five victories gained during the Spanish Civil War and four victories over the Eastern Front.

• Spanienkreuz in Gold mit Schwerten
• Flugzeugführerabzeichen
• Front Flying Clasp of the Luftwaffe
• Iron Cross (1939)
  • 2nd Class
  • 1st Class
• Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross on 24 September 1940 as Hauptmann and Gruppenkommandeur of the II./Jagdgeschwader 27